A 20-year-old woman was forcibly robbed on the south side of campus Tuesday, bringing the total number of thefts in a recent string of muggings to four, according to police reports.
Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain said all four victims provided police with similar descriptions of the suspects and the attacks, leading police to believe the incidents are connected.
According to DeSpain, the victims were walking alone at night when a dark vehicle slowly pulled up behind them. One of the three suspects then exited the car and approached the victims while another restrained them and stole their electronic devices, such as cell phones and laptops.
The first three incidents occurred between approximately 9:40 and 11:23 p.m. Monday and the victims included a 20-year-old female, a 20-year-old male and a 20-year-old male UW-Madison student. DeSpain said there is a possibility the other victims are students as well.
“They’re certainly college-age people in what’s traditionally off-campus housing,” DeSpain said, while adding “these were random, these people were targeted because they were walking alone.”
Michael Berberet, a UW-Madison sophomore, said he feels safe walking on campus, even at night.
“On campus I’m usually fine, if I get off more on the bus routes toward some of the transfer points maybe it gets a little hairy, but other than that campus feels relatively safe,” Berberet said.
Similarly, UW-Madison senior Monique Hughes said she doesn’t feel any less safe now than she did before.
“You just don’t think it’s going to happen to you, I think I have that mindset,” she said. “I’m usually pretty aware of my surroundings and I don’t listen to music at night.”
DeSpain said Tuesday all three victims Monday night handled the situation correctly by complying with their attackers.
“In all three of these cases, these victims did the right thing by giving up their property and not putting themselves in a situation where they might be injured,” DeSpain said.
